Field Level Media
Jul 18, 2019
Wade Miley opened with 4 2/3 hitless innings as the Houston Astros defeated the Los Angeles Angels 6-2 Thursday night in Anaheim, Calif.
George Springer and Alex Bregman hit solo home runs for the American League West-leading Astros, who won the final two games to earn a split of the four-game series.
Mike Trout returned to the Angels' lineup after missing three games due to a right calf strain. Trout served as the designated hitter and went 1-for-4 with a double and a run.
Miley (8-4) didn't allow a hit until Brian Goodwin's two-out double in the fifth inning. The left-hander went 5 1/3 innings, allowing two runs (one earned) on three hits. He walked two and struck out three.
Angels right-hander Matt Harvey (3-5) lasted six innings, giving up six runs on seven hits with five walks and one strikeout. Harvey was making just his second start since late May, when he went on the injured list due to an upper back strain.
The Astros scored two runs in the top of the first inning. With two outs, Bregman and Michael Brantley walked, and Yordan Alvarez hit a two-run double to right field.
Houston increased the lead to 5-0 in the third.
Springer led off with a home run to right-center, his 22nd of the season. Bregman drew another walk with one out, and Alvarez hit a two-out single to right, sending Bregman to second.
Yuli Gurriel then lined a run-scoring double to right, with Alvarez advancing to third. Josh Reddick lined an RBI single to right for the final run of the inning.
Bregman homered to left leading off the fifth, his 25th, to make it 6-0.
The Angels finally got something going in the sixth.
David Fletcher led off with a line-drive single to center and advanced to third when Trout reached on third baseman Gurriel's throwing error. Fletcher scored on a Justin Upton's sacrifice fly to right.
After Andrelton Simmons grounded a single to left, Miley was replaced by Will Harris. The right-hander was greeted by Albert Pujols' run-scoring single to left, but Harris subsequently got Kole Calhoun to ground into an inning-ending double play.
Pujols left the game after the seventh inning due to left hamstring tightness.
Four Astros relievers combined to throw 3 2/3 scoreless innings.
--Field Level Media